Rockstar Co-Founder Dan Houser Launches Crime Satire Comic Series Through Absurd Ventures

The highly anticipated debut comic series from former Rockstar Games co-founder and creative driving force, Dan Houser, is now officially available for pre-order. The new crime-fiction saga, titled American Caper, is the latest project from Houser’s new multimedia company, Absurd Ventures, and marks his foray into the comic book world after his departure from the studio behind the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises in 2020.

The first issue of the comic, published by Dark Horse Comics, is scheduled for release on November 12, 2025. The series is a sprawling, 12-issue narrative that Houser describes as a brutal crime fiction satire set against the backdrop of a “hopelessly fractured, preposterous political nightmare.”

The Creative Team and Plot Synopsis

Houser, who served as the lead writer for nearly every major Rockstar Games title, is the series creator and writer. He is joined by fellow Grand Theft Auto veteran Lazlow, who contributes additional writing and is producing the series. The art team is stacked with industry talent, including Eisner Award-winning artist David Lapham (Stray Bullets), finishes by Chris Anderson, and colors by Lee Loughridge.

The series promises a dark and darkly comedic look at a bizarre cast of characters whose fates intertwine in a real-estate deal gone wrong in Verona, Wyoming. The official synopsis teases a vibrant mix of the grotesque and the absurd:

• A Mormon hit man struggling with his conscience.
• A gambling-addict lawyer on the brink of collapse.
• A Mexican beauty queen trying to outrun her past.
• A Wall Street billionaire who has reinvented himself as an eccentric cowboy.
• A maniac hell-bent on revenge.

Houser noted in a statement that American Caper is based on his “lifelong fascination with hypocrites, sociopaths, political idiots, dysfunctional families, and violence.” The comic aims to capture the current American cultural landscape through a lens of corrupt business, inept politics, bungling crime, and self-righteous justice.

Pre-Order Details and The Future of Absurd Ventures

The first issue, American Caper #1, is available for pre-order through various comic retailers and digital storefronts like Amazon Kindle for around $4.99. Fans can look forward to multiple variant covers for the debut issue from artists including Tyler Boss (main cover), Simon Bisley, and Martin Simmonds.

This comic series is one of the first major IP launches from Absurd Ventures, which Houser founded after a two-decade career at Rockstar. The new company is focused on creating new fictional worlds and stories across various media, including games, novels, graphic novels, and audio fiction. This transmedia approach leverages Houser’s reputation for deep, satirical, and cinematic storytelling to build new, high-value intellectual properties.